Laguna Local News » Guest Contributorhttp://www.lagunabeachindy.com
A firebrand Media PublicationTue, 31 Mar 2015 09:39:39 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Local Culture Lost on Ranch Opponenthttp://www.lagunabeachindy.com/local-culture-lost-on-ranch-opponent/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/local-culture-lost-on-ranch-opponent/#commentsFri, 27 Mar 2015 22:17:30 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45549Editor, I moved to Laguna Beach in 1978 and I love this town. I am 80 years old. A little over a year ago I started golfing at the Ranch golf course with a bunch of locals. It has rejuvenated me. We have lunch and then golf. I got to know all of the staff, Sergio, Jane, Maria, Edgar and many others ...

I moved to Laguna Beach in 1978 and I love this town. I am 80 years old. A little over a year ago I started golfing at the Ranch golf course with a bunch of locals.

It has rejuvenated me. We have lunch and then golf. I got to know all of the staff, Sergio, Jane, Maria, Edgar and many others who work hard to support their families.

I am certain Mr. Fudge does not consider these people and those who frequent the Ranch.

It is amazing to me that Mark Fudge says he has nothing against Mark Christy, yet he continues to delay the remodel of Ben Brown’s and the Ranch. His lawsuits (“Ranch Makeover Contested in Lawsuit,” March 13 edition) have set back the completion of the remodel for months, costing Mr. Christy hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Maybe Mr. Fudge has lots of money to throw away? There are many charities he could be giving money to instead of attorneys. How can one person be so angry with the city?

Our entire community is behind Mr. Christy and the Ranch. Maybe Mr. Fudge should pack up his carpetbag and move on to another city. It’s clear that he doesn’t belong in Laguna.

]]>http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/local-culture-lost-on-ranch-opponent/feed/0Math Article Receives Kudoshttp://www.lagunabeachindy.com/math-article-receives-kudos/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/math-article-receives-kudos/#commentsFri, 27 Mar 2015 22:15:36 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45547Editor, I wanted to thank you for your comprehensive and fair article on the school district common core math pathways “Math Classes Set to Change,” March 13 edition. Great job! Dee Perry, Laguna Beach The author is a school board member....

]]>http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/math-article-receives-kudos/feed/0Guest Columnhttp://www.lagunabeachindy.com/guest-column-26/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/guest-column-26/#commentsFri, 27 Mar 2015 22:05:40 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45543Laguna Needs a Skatepark By Michele Hall “The process of getting a skatepark teaches kids in the community valuable lessons about perseverance and that working with their city leaders can be a positive experience.” – Tony Hawke The idea of building a skatepark in Laguna Beach is something that has b...

“The process of getting a skatepark teaches kids in the community valuable lessons about perseverance and that working with their city leaders can be a positive experience.” – Tony Hawke

The idea of building a skatepark in Laguna Beach is something that has been talked about for many years. It seems that everyone wants the park, but no one wants it to be built in their own backyard. In my opinion, misconceptions about skateboarders in general are the driving force behind locals not wanting a park built near them. Residents concerns in the past have included noise, increased traffic/parking, and even an increase in crime. The truth is skateparks are good for the community and give local youth a place to be active, healthy and busy.

According to the Tony Hawke Foundation website, “a skatepark is a place where skaters get together and enjoy the space, the camaraderie, and the physical thrill of riding. An outdoor, open, highly visible location–as most skateparks are–is not the place to bully kids, use drugs, or be a nuisance. Skaters are there for a reason, and are generally very good at policing each other about behavior that interferes with their enjoying the park.” We have so many kids in our community who skate and providing a safe, monitored environment for them to carry out their sport is something that our community needs and should have. Residents need to let go of pre-conceived ideas and embrace the idea of actually building a skatepark.

Local resident Steve Shipp and a former member of the nationally famous Hobie skateboarding team has this to say about the park where he grew up skating. “The Irvine skatepark provided a generation of kids the opportunity to play, compete and grow in a healthy, outdoor and safe environment. The park allowed me personally to experience an extraordinary life at a very young age. Laguna needs to do the same for our kids.”

This is Laguna Beach and when we build things, we build them well, especially when we involve our locally talented artists. I envision the new skatepark as a work of art. Skateparks are, in general, geometric shapes connected by pathways of cement. Inviting local artists and LCAD students to contribute to the design of the project could end up proudly making the skatepark one of Laguna’s most famous landmarks. Creating amazing tile mosaic designs on the outside of the walls and “urban art” on the inside walls are just a few of the endless possibilities. Let’s work with residents to ensure that the location which is finally chosen for the skatepark will positively impact the neighborhood by creating a unique and artistic recreation facility.

Building a Laguna Beach skatepark will provide a positive, healthy and outdoor environment for kids and adults alike and now is the time to see it through. If you are interested in supporting the effort to promote the skatepark, this Saturday, March 28, at 9 a.m. the Laguna Beach Republican Club is sponsoring a nonpartisan meeting at the Boys and Girls Club. Fletcher Berryman, who is 25 and grew up in Laguna, will be speaking about the history of the efforts to get the skatepark built. Berryman has been working on this issue since he was 10 years old.

The more people that attend and show their support, the better our chances of seeing the park built. Laguna needs a skatepark.

The author is an appointee to the city’s Recreation Committee and ran unsuccessfully for office in November championing a skatepark.

]]>http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/guest-column-26/feed/1John S. Hedges 1926-2015http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/john-s-hedges-1926-2015/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/john-s-hedges-1926-2015/#commentsFri, 27 Mar 2015 02:45:19 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45502 By Jack Casey, Special to the Independent John Hedges, my dear friend from Laguna Beach, left us Saturday, March 14. Although I live across the country in upstate New York, our families have shared much over the past 40 years. His beloved Barbara asked if I would write something to honor his ...

John Hedges, my dear friend from Laguna Beach, left us Saturday, March 14. Although I live across the country in upstate New York, our families have shared much over the past 40 years. His beloved Barbara asked if I would write something to honor his memory, and I offer these recollections.

John S. Hedges

In the summer of 1972, I joined college friends to paint houses in Laguna Beach, and we bought our supplies from John Hedges Paint & Glass on Forest Avenue. Walking into his shop was a step back into old Laguna. In his fisherman’s cap, moustache, pipe and twinkle in his eye, he often shared his experiences of growing up in Laguna. You knew your day just took a turn for the better.

He opened his store at 7:30 each morning by hanging the stars and stripes above the door. There was a palpable glow in his store that’s impossible to capture but we all felt it.

Hedges harkened back to a simpler time. His parents and sister, Harriet, moved to Laguna Beach in 1934, where his father built beach cottages when Laguna was a sleepy artist colony. He joined the Navy the day after he graduated from Laguna Beach High School in 1944 and fought for his country in the South Pacific. In 1955, he opened his store on Forest Avenue, across the street from what was then the Laguna Beach Lumber Mill. He owned and operated his store for 35 years. Even the family dog, Otis Bear, was drawn to the store atmosphere, unless he was sneaking off to the beach or begging for a bone from a butcher at Acord’s Market.

For the summer of ‘73, Hedges invited me to work with him in his store. I loved it. Each day was like an old movie with unexpected twists and odd characters. It was the best job I ever had. Years later, John and Barbara visited me in Edinburgh when I was in graduate school. He was a world-class dart player, and we held the dartboard at Deacon Brodie’s Pub on the Royal Mile for three hours to the amazement of the cynical Scots.

Hedges closed the door to his store for the last time in 1990. However, new doors were opened as he pursued his many interests. He and Barbara spent the following years enjoying travelling and lawn bowling. He also enjoyed landscape painting, vegetable gardening and restoring his ‘38 Ford.

]]>http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/john-s-hedges-1926-2015/feed/1John Horvathhttp://www.lagunabeachindy.com/john-horvath/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/john-horvath/#commentsFri, 27 Mar 2015 02:43:06 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45499Our beloved son, John Miklos Horvath, who was born April 26, 1969, passed away on March 9, 2015. He leaves behind a son, a sister and her family, and his mother Elizabeth Horvath, a registered nurse. We will never forget him and we will always love him for eternity...

]]>http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/john-horvath/feed/0Artists Preserve a Culture Under Siegehttp://www.lagunabeachindy.com/artists-preserve-a-culture-under-siege/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/artists-preserve-a-culture-under-siege/#commentsFri, 27 Mar 2015 02:19:50 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45486By Robin Pierson, Special to the Independent Under the Taliban, Afghan artists were forced to stifle their creativity since even possessing works of art depicting people or animals was considered idolatry and a punishable crime. Now the talents of a group of budding artists, led by three young women...

Under the Taliban, Afghan artists were forced to stifle their creativity since even possessing works of art depicting people or animals was considered idolatry and a punishable crime. Now the talents of a group of budding artists, led by three young women, have been unleashed and the results will be on display at the Laguna Beach Woman’s Club on Thursday, April 2.

“Colorful Wings” is an exhibit of paintings created by a new generation of Afghans who have openly chosen peace over war and who want the world to hear their commitment to nonviolence by viewing their art.

“Our art is our power and our power makes us move forward and fight not only for ourselves, but for those who need us,” said Venus Vesal, one of the featured painters. “We want to introduce the world to the beautiful but forgotten aspects of Afghan culture.”

The three women heading the project met as art students at the University of Herat in western Afghanistan, known as “The City of Art and Culture.” With the help of the Afghan Development and Inspiration Bureau, a nongovernmental organization working with the next generation of Afghans to establish businesses to improve Afghanistan’s economy, the women opened a gallery in Herat. Proceeds from their opening in 2013 went to benefit street children.

All paintings at the Woman’s Club event will be for sale. The artists have agreed to donate proceeds to International Orphan Care (IOC). The nonprofit organization, founded in 1993 and based in Laguna Hills, provides education, healthcare and nutrition to Afghan orphans and children from impoverished families. IOC currently operates a school in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, offering both academic and vocational classes to over 150 disadvantaged girls and boys. In addition to English, math and computer courses, upon graduation each student leaves proficient in a potentially income generating skill and receives a skill specific tool kit for the tailoring, bicycle repair, carpentry and electronics classes.

Along with the exhibit by youthful Afghan artists, Ashraf Anzurgar, an art professor at Kabul University, has been invited to speak at the event. Through his paintings, Anzurgar, one of Afghanistan’s most prominent fine artists, depicts his homeland’s rich history and culture that is often overshadowed by images of terrorists, suppression and violence.

“Colorful Wings” will coincide with Laguna’s First Thursdays Art Walk and will be open to the public free of charge from 5-9 p.m. Afghan food and tea will be available. The Woman’s Club is located at 286 St. Ann’s Drive, Laguna Beach.

]]>http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/artists-preserve-a-culture-under-siege/feed/0Ask the Experthttp://www.lagunabeachindy.com/ask-the-expert/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/ask-the-expert/#commentsMon, 23 Mar 2015 18:15:57 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45432Make Your Rooms Bloom Why do we like to look into the homes of others? There is a simple voyeuristic pleasure, of course. Other times we just like to be nosy. Millions of people read magazines like Architectural Digest and watch TV shows such as “MTV Cribs” that keep us and our appetites fulfilled. ...

Make Your Rooms Bloom

Why do we like to look into the homes of others? There is a simple voyeuristic pleasure, of course. Other times we just like to be nosy. Millions of people read magazines like Architectural Digest and watch TV shows such as “MTV Cribs” that keep us and our appetites fulfilled. For centuries artists from Vermeer to Matisse have lovingly depicted interiors. The reason most people look at these pictures is the hope that some idea will spring forth that one can apply to their own home. Most don’t get around to it though even if they find the right inspiration. Still it’s fun to look into the home of a celebrity and see how they live. The interior of one’s home and the way people live is a peak at someone’s soul. What kind of art do they have? Is it messy or organized, traditional or contemporary? Do you have an artistic flair or maybe more of a dorm room style?

How to make a house feel like a home?

Add lots of family photos: frame them in harmonious frame styles. Maybe have a collection of photos at that are all funny.

Add candle light: tapers, votives or pillars. Use soy candles so that you don’t put toxins into your air.

Your home reflects you, so what does yours say? Is it 1972 or 1987? It is hard to look at your house and realize it’s tired, but if you pretend your house belongs to someone else you will notice the things that are dated.

Take away knick- knacks, pillows and art that is dated. Make dated kitchen and bath cabinets look more up to date by changing the hardware. Small changes like switching the hardware make a big impact. Plus it’s easy!

Five cheap, easy ways to refresh your home for spring.

SWITCH PLATE COVERS- Replace your ugly plastic switch plate covers with something decorative. For only a few dollars you can add some charming detail to your room. You can pick plates by theme. Kid’s room motifs, etc. Switch plates come in metals, wood and printed patterns. Most hardware or home stores have an entire section dedicated to switch plates

PAINT- Paint gives your home big impact for the money. Consider using fun colors like celery green or a tangerine orange. Not only are they great spring colors but they also happen to be contemporary paint choices. Don’t want to repaint a whole room? Paint one accent wall in a new color. For instance your fireplace wall, a wall with a big window or the wall around your front door!

AREA RUGS- Use a bold, attractive area rug under your dining room table, in the foyer or to define a seating area in your living room. It is okay to have an area rug on top of wall to wall carpet. Most people make the mistake of buying a rug that is too small. If in doubt, go the next size bigger.

LIGHTING- Install dimmers. Dimmers when used in place of a standard switch can customize the light for any occasion.

5.SMELL- Place some lavender in a bowl near your front door. The smell will be welcoming your guests as they arrive.

There’s only one thing that can ruin your interior. This is the one mistake you don’t want to make.

Toilet Rugs. These crazy items are to cut to fit around the base of a toilet and sometimes have a matching carpet like seat cover. They are disgusting for obvious reasons. A lot of people like them because they don’t want their feet on a cold floor. Roderick’s tip: Instead go for a regular rectangular- shaped rug away from the base of the toilet, or just wear slippers.

Transforming your interior can be a pleasure for you and your guests. Interior design is an art. There is an appreciation for those amateur or professional who can magically transform four bare walls into an enticing and evocative place where we want to linger at least with our eyes

Roderick Reed owns REEDesign Interiors in Laguna Beach. He lives in town with his wife Kathy and two sons Mason and Jack. http://roderickreed.com/

]]>http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/ask-the-expert/feed/0Disregard by Cyclists Stokes Animosityhttp://www.lagunabeachindy.com/disregard-by-cyclists-stokes-animosity/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/disregard-by-cyclists-stokes-animosity/#commentsFri, 20 Mar 2015 03:03:12 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45416Editor, Notice the number of mountain bikers that missed or disregarded the “no bikes beyond this point” sign (attached), up on the Carolyn Wood Knoll (also an esteemed member of TOWNA). Social media has dramatically increased the number of bikers using the trails, which are shared with ...

]]>http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/disregard-by-cyclists-stokes-animosity/feed/0Perhaps a Ghostly Intervention is Necessaryhttp://www.lagunabeachindy.com/perhaps-a-ghostly-intervention-is-necessary/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/perhaps-a-ghostly-intervention-is-necessary/#commentsFri, 20 Mar 2015 03:01:42 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45414Editor, We are reasonable people. How ironic it is that Mark Fudge, the man who bought Richard Halliburton’s 1930’s reinforced concrete modern house high on a 400-foot hill in South Laguna, is so-unreasonable. The so-called hotel rooms at The Ranch, formerly known as Ben Brown’s an...

We are reasonable people. How ironic it is that Mark Fudge, the man who bought Richard Halliburton’s 1930’s reinforced concrete modern house high on a 400-foot hill in South Laguna, is so-unreasonable.

The so-called hotel rooms at The Ranch, formerly known as Ben Brown’s and below Halliburton’s famous house, were originally built with full kitchens and large rooms for year-round living, not hotel rooms. The buildings are old, have been through at least two major floods from rain and need remodeling for hotel use.

I rented a bedroom on Ceanothus Drive, below the Halliburton house, 40 years ago and a neighbor told me she often spoke to Halliburton when he took walks and he was a “nice” man.

Halliburton traveled the world, wrote best selling books, was a syndicated journalist, was popular on the lecture circuit and according to Smithsonian Magazine, had pillow parties, wherever he lived.

We are reasonable people who are asking why is Mr. Fudge again trying to stop the remodel in our “little Yosemite”?

Perhaps the ghosts of Halliburton, his companion, and editor. Paul Mooney and William Levy, who was the architect for the “Hangover House,” all three who lived in the extraordinary dwelling could whisper through in the night and suggest to Mr. Fudge to keep in mind that this is Laguna Beach, where people try to get along with each other and where most of us want Mr. Christy to finish the remodeling of The Ranch at Ben Browns as soon as possible.

]]>http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/perhaps-a-ghostly-intervention-is-necessary/feed/1Vote Reflects Lowered Expectations for Mathhttp://www.lagunabeachindy.com/vote-reflects-lowered-expectations-for-math/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/vote-reflects-lowered-expectations-for-math/#commentsFri, 20 Mar 2015 02:58:16 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45412Editor, The Laguna Beach USD Board of Education approved the math pathways after a long meeting of public comment by parents ending in a 4-1 vote. The decision gives students from most other Orange County districts an advantage when applying for colleges and universities. Those students will have th...

The Laguna Beach USD Board of Education approved the math pathways after a long meeting of public comment by parents ending in a 4-1 vote. The decision gives students from most other Orange County districts an advantage when applying for colleges and universities. Those students will have the opportunity to take geometry in the eighth grade.

The reasoning behind the board’s vote is that the new Common Core standards are just too difficult for our students to master. They believe that only 1% of the current fifth- grade students or two out of 200, can successfully complete the course of study in middle school. Other districts believe in their students and will continue to offer geometry for students who qualify. Board member Dee Perry demonstrated support for parents who had been left out the planning process by casting the “no” vote.

The district’s view is that if students “bubble up” and there is a need to provide an option for them, they will deal with it then. Is that any way to plan to serve student needs?

The district tried to rationalize their low expectations of high performing students by assigning new course titles for classes that they claimed had many more standards to master than the prior courses. It is widely known that the prior standards are just as rigorous, and that the Common Core actually reduces the number of standards to be taught so that teachers can focus on the mathematical practices and real life problem solving.

Superintendent Smith actually quotes the Fordham study comparing the Common Core to the California standards; the California standards rank more rigorous. The “smoke and mirrors” pathway presented at the March 10 board meeting included new course titles, but very little substance.

There is a determined group of parents that will continue to work to challenge the low expectations held by the district leadership. This “tweek it” as you go math pathway plan is simply not the type of education we expect for our children. We expect the best from our schools!

David Flores, Laguna Beach

The author is a retired top administrator of the Los Angeles County Office of Education.

Hopefully there are young people moving here because they like the character of Laguna’s neighborhoods and want to keep it. Character is so important because it defines Laguna. Owning a house with character defines who you are. It makes you stand out as some one that is different more than a 10,000 square foot house.

I want Laguna to stand out as something that is different and not just a beach town with bars.

Herb Rabe, Laguna Beach

The author lives in a 1924 home built for silent filmmaker Malcolm St. Clair.

]]>http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/historic-homes-give-laguna-character/feed/0Diet Advice for Springhttp://www.lagunabeachindy.com/diet-advice-for-spring/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/diet-advice-for-spring/#commentsFri, 20 Mar 2015 02:55:58 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45408Editor: I do look forward to spring weather, green grass, and flowers in bloom. The advent of spring is also a great opportunity to turn over a new leaf on our dietary habits. In fact, hundreds of communities welcome spring on March 20 with an observance of the Great American Meatout. Visitors are a...

]]>http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/diet-advice-for-spring/feed/1Pet Peeveshttp://www.lagunabeachindy.com/pet-peeves-38/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/pet-peeves-38/#commentsFri, 20 Mar 2015 00:13:56 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45370Wedding Bells Thank goodness I wasn’t invited. I read in the Indy that the first couple married in a civil ceremony by Laguna Beach’s city clerk was on February 19. I had nothing to wear for such a momentous occasion. I’m down to broken flip-flops and ratty board shorts that are getting tighter and ...

Thank goodness I wasn’t invited. I read in the Indy that the first couple married in a civil ceremony by Laguna Beach’s city clerk was on February 19. I had nothing to wear for such a momentous occasion. I’m down to broken flip-flops and ratty board shorts that are getting tighter and tighter with every passing happy hour. I’m letting the beach life overtake my fashion sensibility. To correct things, I’m going to try mimicking the layered covered up look. I hope within a year that you’ll have trouble telling me apart from Cindy, a Laguna Beach icon that embraces this fashion sensibility of sun protection. Remember this. Cindy carries an umbrella. I’m afraid of umbrellas. They’re bad luck. I carry a cat over my head. They have nine lives and are invaluable crossing Coast Highway.

The newlyweds met at Nick’s Restaurant. It was kismet. The other competing couple met at Rock’N Fish and before the man could propose, the restaurant went out of business. That couple is still locked in the upstairs restaurant until a new owner is found. Real estate experts are trying to move things along to save the marriage. It doesn’t look good. The woman is complaining that it was a lunch date and not a dinner date, which makes the marriage proposal moot according to dating protocols. Both mothers of the couple have set up camp downstairs next to the non-working elevator. Neither mother can do the steps and have resorted to a bullhorn to encourage the couple not give up hope. The mother of the groom-to-be said, “I was elated. I almost got my basement back. I wanted to put in an air hockey machine, pool table and ping-pong. You know a woman’s cave.” The bride’s mother nodded in agreement. “I just wanted my daughter to marry a man who could take care of her, me, my sisters, their no good husbands, and my rescued pets from the Irvine animal shelter. Is that to much to ask?” The Orange County Jewish Mother swat team stood ready to intervene should discussions break down.

The winning couple was happy to dine and be able to leave Nick’s to pursue the courtship. The couple is Swedish, going by namesakes. Initially, they wanted to be married in Sweden. The groom wanted a nocturnal wedding and the bride wanted a daytime wedding. In Sweden, you can have one or the other, but not both. They split up for a time while trying to find a more suitable venue to do both. Laguna Beach seemed able to accommodate both daytime and nighttime on the same day. The caterer cinched the deal by throwing in Swedish meatballs in lieu of the traditionally thrown wedding rice.

In a show of good sportsmanship, the winning Swedish couple to be married first by city hall, has agreed to step aside in a prenuptial agreement with the Rock ‘N Fish couple to allow the runner ups to be the first couple divorced by city hall in years to come. The Mother-in-laws are going over the fine print now with attorneys and are expected to move forward on the guarantee that their participation is included in the reality TV show package now under development by Netflix. The sitcom will be streamed into your home, along with a GrubHub app that allows popcorn, buttered or unbuttered, to shoot from your TV set at no additional charge. Bon appetite.

Mark is a transplant to Laguna from Chicago. He occasionally writes the guest column

“Pet Peeves.” His recently deceased Border Collie, Pokey, is his muse and ghostwriter.

]]>http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/pet-peeves-38/feed/0Beware: Super Lice Are Cominghttp://www.lagunabeachindy.com/beware-super-lice-are-coming/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/beware-super-lice-are-coming/#commentsThu, 19 Mar 2015 23:51:21 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45358If you are like me and have a child in the Laguna Beach Unified School District, this past week you received another all too familiar notice that read, “Recently we identified a few cases of head lice at your child’s grade level. Follow exact steps on box of lice shampoo…” OMG. Not again. Why ...

If you are like me and have a child in the Laguna Beach Unified School District, this past week you received another all too familiar notice that read, “Recently we identified a few cases of head lice at your child’s grade level. Follow exact steps on box of lice shampoo…” OMG. Not again. Why does this keep happening, you wonder. We have a clean house, we are extremely hygienic, ewww, gross.

Yes to all that, but lice do not discriminate and actually love the cleanest of the clean. Sorry. As the notice correctly points out, lice can come from almost anywhere, but more likely than not, your child (or even you yourself) picked up bugs from incidental head to head contact. Remember that selfie last week?! Yup, that’s all it takes.

And now to complicate this highly stigmatized condition even further is the arrival of “super lice,” bugs that laugh at over-the-counter treatment products. Super lice are a new and stronger generation of these six-legged, blood-sucking parasites that have developed a resistance to all pesticides typically used in OTC treatments. Yes, the OTC treatments are pesticides. In fact, OTC products can make matters worse and are even dangerous. When used in high enough concentrations, anti-lice products will kill some super lice, but usually not all, leaving the more resistant lice to breed and spread further, exacerbating the problem. The Journal of Entomology states that 99.7% of lice that affect our communities nowadays are genetically resistant to the pesticides pyrethrin and permethrin used in OTC products. I have recently treated kids who even after using doctor prescribed medications still had bugs. So what to do? How does one get rid of super lice?

I faced this question for the last time years ago when I finally decided to take matters into my own hands. As a bit of background, I am a licensed cosmetologist and know a thing or two about hair. However, I knew nothing about lice and lice infestation. I do now. First, there is no prescription or OTC product that works against super lice. Don’t waste your time and money. I’ve tried RID and NIX and every crazy “solution” you’ve ever come across on the internet, mayo, peanut butter, vinegar, tea tree oil, soaking your head in this or that, and even prayer; none of this works.

After these self-help treatments failed to remedy the problem, I turned to the pros and quickly discovered most professional lice removal services wanted an arm and a leg (of mine, not the lice!), and typically charge $100/hour for treatments, which generally require at least two hours. One such professional lice removal service claimed to use all natural products, but upon further investigation, I found they were using liquified quartz in their treatments, a known carcinogen!

No way. There had to be better solution, and if not, then I would invent my own. I’m all about 100% natural whenever possible and I just knew there had to be a safer and more effective way to beat these critters. Tons of research and personal training later and I had developed my own treatment, which is basically a natural oil application, a combing technique, and a strand by strand nit removal process that is guaranteed safe, effective, and even affordable! And, I discovered an amazing bonus, my treatment left hair “silky smooth” and luxurious. Yay!

I have now treated hundreds of heads of all ages and consider myself an expert in lice removal. However, most people have no idea what to do when lice are found on their children, let alone, super lice. Well for one, we can begin by accepting that head lice are nearly as common as the “common cold” and will affect over 12 million Americans every year.

With summer fast approaching, the number of head lice infestations will soar along with all the activities our kids typically enjoy over the summer. Some basic precautions we can take include avoiding head to head contact, avoid sharing personal items such as towels, bedding, combs and brushes, and hats or helmets. Harvard University research has found peppermint oil works great as a repellent. Lice don’t like the smell.

Remember, lice don’t discriminate and actually prefer clean, healthy hair. If your child comes home complaining of an itchy scalp or you notice red spots around the ears and neck, grab a comb and take a close look. Don’t despair, head lice happens more frequently than you know.

For more information you may wish to visit my website www.lagunabeachclear.com.

Marcela Cortes-Nares is a Laguna Beach mom and cosmetologist. She is an expert in lice treatment and removal.

]]>http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/beware-super-lice-are-coming/feed/1Rotary Slips By Hobie, 10-9http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/rotary-slips-by-hobie-10-9/
http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/rotary-slips-by-hobie-10-9/#commentsThu, 19 Mar 2015 22:40:54 +0000http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/?p=45321Intermediate division Little League teams Rotary and Hobie suited up to play in conditions at Riddle Field this past Saturday, March 14. Rotary held off a ferocious comeback by Hobie to come out ahead 10-9 in seven innings. Connor Fink led Hobie with three hits while Paxton Burzell and Lucas Jablon ...